Step right this way for a look behind those doors marked ‘private’
I got an invitation to make a reservation on the Merseyrail Experience Tour: a trip to Liverpool is always a pleasure, so I accepted for this rail-based tour like a bowl of hot scouse. The public tours start at 09.00, but this one is adapted for media types who prefer a bit of a lie-in; obviously tourists should be staying a few nights in the city anyway.
Good job ours wasn’t an early start as the line to Liverpool is blocked by a Pendolino tripping out the overhead, us Liverpool passengers being herded on to a ‘150/2’ to Chester. This connects to a grubby Class 508 for Liverpool; it seems there have been wash plant problems, but the new one at Kirkdale is now taking over. It will be busy removing some weeks of rail head treatment gunge.
GOING UNDERGROUND
We get a safety briefing at Rail House and appropriate gifts – a hat and an umbrella. Interestingly, we are told not to take photos of approaching trains, even without flash, as this might distract the driver; didn’t think my new camera was that impressive. Rail House isn’t an exhibit, although it represents many 1970s British Rail office blocks, few of which remain in use.
We head down…
